Monday, April 2, 2012

There is no doubt that the vast majority of accidents that take place in
the mountains happen due to human error. Indeed, many climbers read
accident reports looking for the human error, just so that they can say
to themselves, "at least I won't make that mistake."

This is a very dangerous thing to think. Any of us can make a human
error mistake anytime. As a result, we should do everything in our
power to keep such a mistake from happening. Things to consider
include, tying knots at the end of the rope before belaying or
rappelling, using an autoblock for a rappel, wearing a helmet, etc. In
this blog post, we will go through the steps required for a safe and
fun climb.

A Climber in Joshua Tree
Photo by Ian McEleney

1) Anchor -- Is the anchor you built for the climb adequate? If you're
top-roping, are there two opposite and opposed locking carabiners at
the top? Are the pieces good? If you're using bolts, are the bolts
good?

Does the belayer need to be tied into a bottom anchor? The default
answer is, "yes." If the belayer is not tied into a bottom anchor, you
should be able to articulate why.

2) Belayer -- Is the belayer's harness on correctly? Is it
doubled-back? Is the belay device threaded properly? Are you using a
locking carabiner on the belay device? Is the carabiner locked?
Usually a visual check is not good enough to prove that a locker is
locked. It's always good to give it a quick squeeze check. Is his
helmet on properly? Does he have a nut tool to remove gear if he's
going to follow?

3) Climber -- Is the climber's harness on correctly? Is it
doubled-back? Is the belay device threaded properly? Is he tied-in
properly? Is his figure-eight dressed and neat? If he is leading, does
he have the rack? Is his helmet on properly?

4) System -- Is the system closed? In other words, have you made sure
that the end of the rope is either tied directly into the belayer or
that there is a knot at the end? Open systems are responsible for a
large percentage of climbing injuries and fatalities.

5) Commands -- Are you both on the same page as far as commands are
concerned? Many people use different variations of commands and it's
not a good thing to get them mixed up.

6) Multi-Pitch -- Do you have the climbing topo? Do you have food,
water and clothes for the day? What is the weather forecast? Do you
have a second rope in case you need to descend in an emergency? Do you
have extra cordage and sling material to leave behind? Do you have a
strategy?

Climbing is a game with few rules. One of those few is to make sure
that you are completely prepared for the situation at hand. Go through
the check-list every time. It could save somebody's life...

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Climbing, skiing and mountaineering are dangerous sports. When you undertake an outdoor, backcountry, or an alpine adventure without a guide, you assume total responsibility for your decisions and wellbeing. Conditions in the mountains are constantly changing, and no guidebook or computer web blog can take the place of solid training and experience. Though this site features descriptions of roads, trails, climbing routes, and other natural features, you cannot assume that because something is described here that it has not changed since last observed or that it will be safe for you or your party.
AAI assumes no responsibility or liability for your use of the information presented in this blog. With regard to all backcountry travel and climbing, you must make your own assessments and decisions, and you assume all risks in applying them.